Fisherman John Rudd says a large pod of Orca are in Tauranga harbour. He saw them just north of Flax Point on the Matakana side opposite Pahoia.

'We are about a mile away, but there's got to be a couple of massive bulls,” says John. He was too far away and the flats were between them and the pod to count them.

These Orca were spotted in Tauranga harbour earlier this year. Photos of the pod in Tauranga on Wednesday morning are expected to be uploaded soon.

'We can see the blows and see a couple of dorsal fins about 1.5m high. They are big animals.”

A light aircraft was circling over the pod at one point, says John, who thinks the orca are there for the morning high tide to hunt stingrays.

'I've just seen another couple off Omokoroa Point.”

There were reports of about 10 orca in the harbour on Saturday, and today a woman saw two orca playing in waves off Papamoa Beach.